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Locale
The preliminary location for this campaign is the slightly shabby port city of Herrenton. The North-most port in the Kingdom of Errien, it supports a steady if somewhat unglamorous series of traders from the tribes of the Frozen Isles and the rare Shi’in trawler braving the Northern passage; in addition to the usual cargo ships that leave regularly for more developed ports. The boundless depths of the Wilds to the north provide shipments of lumber that make the long trip to the ever-growing cities surrounding the capital far to the South. It is not a city of great growth and activity, but for many it provides a comfortable if unremarkable life, and for those who are willing to work it is not difficult to find a way to put food on the table or raise a family. However, the relatively placid and comfortable air of the city is belied by the stories and rumors that often drift in with caravans or traders from the nearby villages: animals killed in strange, ritualistic fashion, young children gone missing, shadowy shapes that pass silently in the depths of the forest Wilds. Count Erroll Shanspar has ruled the city with a relatively light touch for almost 34 years, and the venerable Oak House, situated on the bluffs over the city’s harbor, has been a familiar and welcome host to the various Barons, Mayors, and other dignitaries local to the North who travel through Herrenton to do business or settle disputes. Though frail and bent with age, his wits and tongue are as sharp as ever, and he trusts in his daughter, Lady Irael, to handle the daily affairs and business of the city. The presence of the Church of the AllFather is strong in Herrenton, and the Cathedral of the Faith here is a prestigious placement – a fact Bishop Olis is quick to share with any who attempt to question his influence or authority. The city establishment is further represented by the Council of Wood and Stone, who along with the Governor of the Port, make up the complex interplay of formal political, economic, and military activity that is Herrenton. While few choose to observe them openly, the counties of the north, close as they are to the Wilds, have never fully forgotten the old ways. Rumors of Druidry abound, and in the smaller towns and hamlets it is common to find a wise woman or hermit who is deeply tuned to the ways of the wild. The loggers and miners keep to certain informal boundaries, and their work remains largely unmolested, but children who misbehave are told to mind their elders, or Grey-eyed Egira and her kin will steal them away in the night. The city itself has unsavory neighborhoods and criminal activity operates in an uneasy equilibrium with the city watch. Beneath it all, the fables of the north permeate the history and present of Herrenton. While the Wilds hold all sorts of natural beasts, the deepest shadows and caverns of the countryside hold tales of monsters and stranger, even more uncanny things. Out of these stories comes the need for brave and curious adventurers.